Communicable Diseases

Antimicrobial Resistance

New resistance mechanisms are emerging and spreading globally, threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in prolonged illness, disability, and death.. PHRC has done 10 research studies on AMR.

The incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades. The actual numbers of dengue cases are underreported and many cases are misclassified. One recent estimate indicates 390 million dengue infections per year (95% credible interval 284–528 million), of which 96 million (67–136 million) manifest clinically (with any severity of disease). PHRC has done 17 research studies on Dengue.

Diarrhoeal disease is a leading cause of child mortality and morbidity in the world, and mostly results from contaminated food and water sources. Worldwide, 780 million individuals lack access to improved drinking-water and 2.5 billion lack improved sanitation. Diarrhoea due to infection is widespread throughout developing countries. PHRC did various research studies on Diarrhea.

In Pakistan, the first national hepatitis prevalence survey 2008reported an overall 4.9% seroprevalence of HCV antibodies in the general population. It was estimated that about 8 million people have HCV infection in Pakistan. The prevalence of HCV varied within Provinces and within the districts. According to the national hepatitis survey, the prevalence of HCV was 6.7% in the Punjab followed by 5.0% in Sindh, 1.5% in Baluchistan and 1.1% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In capital city of Islamabad, the HCV prevalence was 5.3%. PHRC have did more then 30 research studies on Hepatitis.

With an estimated burden of 1.5 million cases annually, Pakistan has been categorized by WHO in the Group 3 countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, along with Afghanistan, Djibouti, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen. These countries account for sharing 95% of the total regional malaria burden. PHRC has done various research studies on Malaria.

Measles has claimed more lives than anticipated, as the outbreaks hit Pakistan severely in 2013 as compared to 2012. Claiming 350 lives through the year 2013, Measles became a headache for the health agencies, authorities and common people. The sudden appearance of the virus in different parts of the country both rural and urban at the same time can be linked to more than one cause. PHRC has done 06 research studies on Measles.

No disease kills more children aged less than five years than pneumonia, not least in Pakistan where one-fifth of the population is in this age group. The estimated figures reflected in many Pakistani studies tells us that the [annual] incidence of ARI [acute respiratory infection] in Pakistani children aged less than five years is 4% in the community a group constituting roughly 22% of the country’s population of 160 million. Taking this 4% figure, we can calculate that there are 15 million episodes of ARI every year among under-fives. PHRC has done various research studies on pneumonia.

Rabies is endemic in Pakistan, with human infections being mostly due to the dog bite and cases are mostly diagnosed on clinical grounds only. Although no data on human rabies cases is available at the national level but it was estimated that 2,000 to 5,000 people die of rabies every year. Human rabies is not a notifiable disease in Pakistan and there is also no nationally coordinated response to the diseases and its surveillance.

TB occurs in every part of the world. In 2015, the largest number of new TB cases occurred in Asia, with 61% of new cases, followed by Africa, with 26% of new cases. In 2015, 87% of new TB cases occurred in the 30 high TB burden countries. Six countries accounted for 60% of the new TB cases: India, Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa. Global progress depends on advances in TB prevention and care in these countries. PHRC has done 13 research studies on TB.

Non Communicable Diseases

Cancer

Cancer is major public health problem for Pakistan where annually about 148,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed and almost 100,000 die due to cancer. The most common cancers in Pakistan are oral, lung, liver, breast, cervical and blood/bone-marrow cancer. PHRC has done 08 research studies on cancer.

The emerging Cardiovascular Diseases are becoming leading cause of death in the developing countries. In Pakistan, 30 to 40 per cent of all deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The CHD deaths in Pakistan has reached about 200,000 per year that is 410/100,000 of the population. PHRC has done 06 research studies on cardiovascular diseases.

Pakistan has seen dramatic increase in rates of diabetes prevalence and incidence over recent years and the key risk factor for type-2 diabetes, obesity, in young people is rising concomitantly rapidly in Pakistan, especially in the cities and towns. Approximately, diabetes kills 90,000 people annually in Pakistan of which majority are women.

Promoting mental health and well-being, and the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, are integral parts of the Sustainable Development Agenda to transform our world by 2030 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September 2015. PHRC has done 03 research studies on Mental health.

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH)

MNCH

Ensuring optimal health for girls of reproductive age, improving the health and nutrition of mothers-to-be, and providing quality reproductive health services including ante- and post-natal care are pivotal to ensuring safe motherhood. Improving the health of mothers-to-be, including provision of quality reproductive health and family planning services, is pivotal to addressing many underlying causes of maternal and child mortality. PHRC has done 13 research studies on MNCH.